American killed by attacker in Beijing
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2008 8:22 am
From the AP:
BEIJING (Aug. 9) - A knife-wielding Chinese man attacked two relatives of a coach for the U.S. Olympic men's volleyball team at a tourist site in Beijing, killing one and injuring the other on the first day of the Olympics Saturday, team officials and state media said.
The brutal attack shortly after midday was all the more shocking because of the rarity of violent crime against foreigners in tightly controlled China, which has ramped up security measures even more for the Olympics.
The stabbing came only hours after what by many accounts was the most spectacular opening ceremony in Olympic history and has already dampened some of the enthusiasm.
"They are deeply saddened and shocked," Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, said of the volleyball team.
The U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement that two family members of a coach for the men's indoor volleyball team were stabbed at the Drum Tower "during an attack by what local law enforcement authorities have indicated was a lone assailant."
One of the family members was killed and the other was seriously injured, it said. It did not identify the coach or give other details.
The official Xinhua News Agency identified the attacker as Tang Yongming, 47, from the eastern city of Hangzhou. It said Tang attacked the two Americans and their Chinese tour guide, who was also injured, at 12:20 PM local time on the second level of the ancient tower, then leapt to his death immediately afterward. The second level of the tower is about 130 feet high.
Seibel said the two Americans "were not wearing apparel or anything that would have specifically identified them as being members of our delegation" or as Americans.
He told The Associated Press it was "too early to say" whether the U.S. delegation or athletes will require additional security.
U.S. Embassy officials said they were in contact with relatives of the victims who are in Beijing. "Out of respect for the families involved, we can't say more than that," embassy spokesman Don Q. Washington told reporters.
At the scene, police blocked off streets leading to the Drum Tower and cordoned off the area with yellow police tape. Officers collected samples from the tower and the street below.
The exact details of the attack, including the weapon used, were not clear.
"There was a fight here, don't ask me any more questions," an old lady who would only give her surname, Wang, said near the site.
The White House said U.S. President George W. Bush, who is in Beijing for the opening days of the Olympics, was informed of the incident. It said the administration and the U.S. Embassy have offered the families of the victims any assistance they need.
International Olympic Committee spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said it was "deeply saddened" by the attack and was working with Chinese authorities to provide whatever assistance it could.
Wow. What a tragedy. It looks like they were attacked just because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
My sympathies go out to the coach and his family.
Dawn
BEIJING (Aug. 9) - A knife-wielding Chinese man attacked two relatives of a coach for the U.S. Olympic men's volleyball team at a tourist site in Beijing, killing one and injuring the other on the first day of the Olympics Saturday, team officials and state media said.
The brutal attack shortly after midday was all the more shocking because of the rarity of violent crime against foreigners in tightly controlled China, which has ramped up security measures even more for the Olympics.
The stabbing came only hours after what by many accounts was the most spectacular opening ceremony in Olympic history and has already dampened some of the enthusiasm.
"They are deeply saddened and shocked," Darryl Seibel, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, said of the volleyball team.
The U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement that two family members of a coach for the men's indoor volleyball team were stabbed at the Drum Tower "during an attack by what local law enforcement authorities have indicated was a lone assailant."
One of the family members was killed and the other was seriously injured, it said. It did not identify the coach or give other details.
The official Xinhua News Agency identified the attacker as Tang Yongming, 47, from the eastern city of Hangzhou. It said Tang attacked the two Americans and their Chinese tour guide, who was also injured, at 12:20 PM local time on the second level of the ancient tower, then leapt to his death immediately afterward. The second level of the tower is about 130 feet high.
Seibel said the two Americans "were not wearing apparel or anything that would have specifically identified them as being members of our delegation" or as Americans.
He told The Associated Press it was "too early to say" whether the U.S. delegation or athletes will require additional security.
U.S. Embassy officials said they were in contact with relatives of the victims who are in Beijing. "Out of respect for the families involved, we can't say more than that," embassy spokesman Don Q. Washington told reporters.
At the scene, police blocked off streets leading to the Drum Tower and cordoned off the area with yellow police tape. Officers collected samples from the tower and the street below.
The exact details of the attack, including the weapon used, were not clear.
"There was a fight here, don't ask me any more questions," an old lady who would only give her surname, Wang, said near the site.
The White House said U.S. President George W. Bush, who is in Beijing for the opening days of the Olympics, was informed of the incident. It said the administration and the U.S. Embassy have offered the families of the victims any assistance they need.
International Olympic Committee spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said it was "deeply saddened" by the attack and was working with Chinese authorities to provide whatever assistance it could.
Wow. What a tragedy. It looks like they were attacked just because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
My sympathies go out to the coach and his family.
Dawn
